TP600E: openSUSE can't mount DVD drive on first HD boot

[RBob]

Trying to install openSUSE 11.0 on my old TP600E and the install seems to go OK (for the important bits), but on the first boot from the HD during the configuration phase, the DVD drive can't be mounted. Searching on the Web, I find lots of folklore on how to fix this or similar problems, but none of the proposed fixes actually work; either nothing changes, or my HD goes away. This is what shows up in boot.msg:

Code: Select all

<3>ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
<3>ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0
<4>         cdb 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
<4>         res 40/00:02:00:24:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
<3>ata2.00: status: { DRDY }
<7>ata2: port disabled. ignoring.
<6>ata2: EH complete
<3>ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
<3>ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0
<4>         cdb 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
<4>         res 40/00:02:00:24:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
<3>ata2.00: status: { DRDY }
<7>ata2: port disabled. ignoring.
<6>ata2: EH complete
<3>ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
<3>ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0
<4>         cdb 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
<4>         res 40/00:02:00:24:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
<3>ata2.00: status: { DRDY }
<7>ata2: port disabled. ignoring.
<6>ata2: EH complete
<4>ata2.00: limiting speed to MWDMA1:PIO4
<3>ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
<3>ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0
<4>         cdb 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
<4>         res 40/00:02:00:24:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
<3>ata2.00: status: { DRDY }
<7>ata2: port disabled. ignoring.
<6>ata2: EH complete
<3>ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
<3>ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0
<4>         cdb 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
<4>         res 40/00:02:00:24:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
<3>ata2.00: status: { DRDY }
<7>ata2: port disabled. ignoring.
<6>ata2: EH complete
<3>ata2.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
<3>ata2.00: cmd a0/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 tag 0
<4>         cdb 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
<4>         res 40/00:02:00:24:00/00:00:00:00:00/a0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
<3>ata2.00: status: { DRDY }
<7>ata2: port disabled. ignoring.
<6>ata2: EH complete

Any suggestions?

[whizkid]

Hey RBob, welcome to the forum... and the neighborhood!

I can't say I've had this problem, but I have only a CD-ROM drive in my 600E. You could borrow a drive, since you're close by.

I'm a fan of Fedora myself, but I'd be happy to help you work on getting Ubuntu running on your 600E... or you could bring it to the next TCLUG install fest.

[RBob]

Trying to install openSUSE 11.0 on my old TP600E and the install seems to go OK (for the important bits), but on the first boot from the HD during the configuration phase, the DVD drive can't be mounted. ... Any suggestions?

Well, I found the trick. With the following magic phrase entered at boot time and added to Grub's menu.lst, everything can be made to work:

apm=on acpi=off pnpbios=off